


the miniature gaiety of seasides

by phantomlistener



Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Banter, Braxiatel Collection (Doctor Who), British seaside, Gen, Post-City of Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:35:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25383199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomlistener/pseuds/phantomlistener
Summary: A short scene, post-City of Death. Romana still wants to visit the Braxiatel Collection, but for some reason the Doctor is none too keen on the idea....
Relationships: Fourth Doctor & Romana II
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	the miniature gaiety of seasides

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Маленькие радости на морском берегу](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29080536) by [WTF Douglas Adams 2021 (HolisticDouglas)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HolisticDouglas/pseuds/WTF%20Douglas%20Adams%202021)



> Title from Philip Larkin's [To the Seaside](https://www.poeticous.com/philip-larkin/to-the-sea).

"Romana?"

"Yes Doctor?"

They were walking along a promenade, the sea breeze causing his too-long scarf to brush her legs as they went. She was holding her bonnet on with one hand, the other arm linked with his.

"It strikes me that we haven't had a holiday in ages."

"We had Paris," she reminded him. "Although it wasn't really much of a holiday." She paused. "In fact, I would say it wasn't a holiday at all."

"Yes, well, it's hardly my fault that the last of the Jagaroth chose that particular time to try and erase history," he said, and she had to hold back a smile at the affront in his voice.

"I suppose not."

"And it's not as if it wasn't fun." There was a long silence. "Well, it was educational, at least. You saw the Mona Lisa!"

"Doctor, as I seem to recall pointing out, she had no eyebrows."

"And does that make the painting any less of a masterpiece?"

"No, what makes it less of a masterpiece is the fact that it has 'This Is A Fake' written underneath in felt tip pen," she replied drily, pulling away from him to lean over the railings and stare down in to the sea. The wind caught her voice and sent it floating up from beneath: "It rather destroys the authenticity of the piece."

" _Romana!_ "

Again, she held back a smile. His outrage was rather amusing, really; such an odd thing to get worked up about. "Really, Doctor, didn't I tell you we should visit the Braxiatel Collection instead? There's nothing in there with such a dubious temporal history."

"The _Braxiatel Collection_?"

He was fairly spluttering now and she really couldn't help it, the laughter came bubbling up in her throat and out from between her lips. "Well...."

"It's nothing more than a junkyard, Romana! Full of junk!"

"Oh, do be quiet, Doctor," she said, her voice still amused. "After all, you still owe me a holiday."

He muttered something under his breath, and the treacherous wind carried a few broken phrases to Romana's ears: something about _sworn enemies_ , and _couldn't possibly_ , and _dratted family connections._

"I didn't realise it would be _such_ an imposition," she said with an exaggerated sigh. "Oh well. Would you like an ice cream?"

"An ice cream?"

"Well yes, Doctor. If I can't see the Braxiatel Collection I should at least like to make the most of today by eating a frozen dessert on a cold stone bench in a chilly breeze by the sea in..." She looked around quizzically, and her eyes lit upon a large decorative sign, somewhat battered by years of exposure to salty air and enthusiastic tourists. "...Brixham," she finished dramatically.

"You're not taking this seriously," the Doctor said, a plaintive note in his voice.

"Whatever gave you that idea?!"

He stopped in his tracks and fixed her with a grave stare. "I'll drop you off at the Collection for the afternoon. How does that sound?"

"Perfect," said Romana, and linked her arm back through his. "Pick me up again in time for tea, would you?"

"Naturally," agreed the Doctor. "Now, how about that ice cream?"

She caught his eye, and despite herself, her laughter soared high up on the chilly breeze. "Strawberry, I think," she said decisively. "And then straight back to the TARDIS. I do have an outing to get to, after all."


End file.
